flickers
by frostfall
Summary: The crowd roars around them. She's still smiling at him, like he's the bright stars that are lighting her way home. And all he could think is finally and how he's pretty lucky his soulmate is someone as incredible as her. SoulmatesAU!


**I know Finn/Rey and even Poe/Finn seem more likely to happen but hey, I could dream, right? Also, the scene at the end actually happened in the novelization version of the film. But here, I modified it.**

* * *

Poe isn't surprised that he hasn't met his soulmate yet.

After all, he's always off in his ship, protecting the galaxy from evil and crap in the name of the Resistance. He doesn't have time to look for companionship, as much as he would like to.

It's frustrating, really. He knows he's probably not going to have a long life, thanks to his choice of work, and people like him aren't supposed to be all about bonding and soulmates and all that crap but it scares him.

The fact he could end up dying alone – be it being gunned down by enemies, an incurable disease or old age – scares him. It's stupid and unlikely but damn, does it scares and frustrates him.

The General once pulled him aside, when he's about to storm off to his room after completing another successful but disappointing job.

"It's not wise of you to have your hopes too high," she tells him over tea. It never occurred to Poe that the General sits her people down to share a meaningless conversation about soulmates over tea. But yet, here he is. "It'll happen when it'll happen."

"And what makes you so sure?" he spits out before bracing himself for a nice uppercut to the jaw because he just talked back to his superior, the great Leia Organa and he's really going to get it and―

It doesn't come. She just sips her tea offhandedly but the amusement reflecting off her eyes tells him otherwise.

"Believe me, I know."

It's hard at first, being so used to giving strangers hopeful looks, but he finally gets it. He supposes it helps that the feeling of familiar disappointment numbs it all.

He'll admit though, that he's genuinely disappointed when his surroundings are still in monochrome after meeting Finn.

After all, what could be more soulmate-like than bestowing them with a name?

Not to mention he has a nice face. And a kind heart. Great qualities Poe looks for in a soulmate.

But it's not to be _again_ and Poe steels his heart, inhale deeply and tries to steer them away from their pursuers.

No, not 'try'.

Because he's the best pilot in the freaking galaxy and he _will_ lead them away from the First Order.

* * *

Rey never really sat down and gave the soulmate thing much of a thought, let alone colours.

She's always too busy, usually trying to make a living and counting the days and waiting for her family to come and pick her up.

Heck, she's never heard of such of an incredulous idea until she's thirteen, dragging scraps past gossiping townsfolk, that she learns the world isn't just dull and plain. That there's something called 'colours' and it gives the sky different shades at different times of the day and the sand is 'light brown' or 'orange', depending on the presence of the sun. And this could only happen if you meet your 'soulmate', a partner that you are bonded with for life.

Sometimes, it's in an unusual way – all exhilarating and puzzling and wondrous. Most often, it's boring and ordinary but wondrous all the same. And that interests her.

Sometimes, Rey wonders if her family are her soulmates, just waiting for the right time to come bounding back in her life in a spectacular and grand fashion. Families are, in a way, people you are supposedly bonded for life with.

But Finn beats them to the punch, whisking her away from her theories and mundane life.

And it's all so exhilarating and puzzling and wondrous – just like the stories she heard. So it's no wonder that she couldn't help but think that, maybe _just_ maybe this is him, her _soulmate_.

Not a family member. Just a stranger that she's bonded for life.

But the sky is still clear but dull and the sand beneath her feet doesn't richen. And right there, as she stares down at him, amongst the chaos, she decides that he's just fate, not a soulmate.

And she's actually okay with that.

Rey holds out a hand. Finn takes it.

* * *

Then, it happens.

As soon as the realization sinks in, that Luke Skywalker's whereabouts is known to the Resistance and only the Resistance, everybody erupts in cheers.

Poe gets pushed around, caught between sweaty bodies and scaly skin, until someone grabs him by the shoulders and pulls him close to them in a tight grip.

And that's when everything explodes.

The mingling bodies around him are suddenly tinted with some odd shade and the machinery around him are not as plain as they were before and oh, _oh_.

Colours. They're colours.

 _Well_ , he thinks. _Shit_.

As if the person that hugged him as the same thought, they let out a quiet gasp. Immediately Poe is released, however, with a light shove, sending him stumbling into the person behind him.

"Sorry," he mumbles out to the glaring alien before he turns to regard the person in front of him.

It's a girl, with dark hair and bright eyes (he wonders why her eyes change colour under the lighting), who's staring at him like she's never seen a person before. He supposes he's doing the same.

Because his soulmate is not just any girl. She's the girl who brought BB-8 back to him, led Finn back to him, and it all makes sense to him now.

Suddenly, his lungs feels constricted at the realisation. He wonders if all people feel like this as well, when they first meet their soulmate.

"Um, hi," he manages, before mentally slapping himself because _smooth, Dameron, what a charming and non-awkward way to greet your soulmate for the first time_. "I'm Poe."

But Rey is still gawking and scrutinizing him, like she just _can't_ comprehend this is happening. Before Poe could make a stupid comment about how uncomfortable and awkward she's making him feel, she slowly nods.

"I recognize the name," she finally says. Poe notes an accent. A shy smile graces her lips. "Poe. Poe Dameron, the X-Wing pilot. BB-8 and Finn told me all about you."

Poe tries not to think of the nudging droid at his feet (he wonders if the damned droid knew all along) or of his new friend in a coma in the medical bay not far from where they are (Finn will probably be bouncing for joy when he finds out) because all of his thoughts should be of his long-awaited moment.

But he does. They are, after all, the two forces that sort of connected them to one another. He makes a mental note to pull the droid aside for some questioning and another visit to the medical bay.

"And you're Rey, our household scavenger-turned-Jedi," he replies. There's a light shade streaking across her cheeks and _yes, finally smooth Dameron is back_. He notices that the colour of her blush suits her. "BB-8 and Finn told me all about you too."

She grins. He mirrors her, partially because he's more at ease now and also because it's unfortunately infectious.

The crowd roars around them. She's still smiling at him, like he's the bright stars that are lighting her way home. And all he could think is _finally_ and how he's pretty lucky his soulmate is someone as incredible as her.

He knows kissing her is out of question, as much as he would like to. Because it's weird to kiss someone you just met, soulmate or not. They have time for that later, he's sure of it.

Instead, he holds out a hand. "Nice to meet you, Rey."

She meets him halfway. She's warm.

Right there, as they stand in a crowded room full of strangers and the loud noise, nothing has ever felt so right to him before this moment.

(It's the same for her.)

"You too, Poe."


End file.
